Carp after the catch

[Somers]

I just got done watching Iron Chef and they had a carp battle.

Most of the dishes were fried and a couple stewed I think.  They tried to mask any off or fishy flavors by using a lot of onion and garlic.  There was a whole fried fish that looked pretty d**n good where they scored the enitre fish on both sides, then deep fried it.

One of the judges did comment on the "freshwater" taste, which I take basically to mean muddy or "summer" flavor, like the way the pond smells in the flavor.  Anybody else ever find that?  Also, all the bones in one dish were commented on.

An old timer once mentioned to me he kept the fish alive  in an old rain barrell to let the fish clean itself out.  I have no idea if there's any merit to it.  Has anyone else ever heard of this?

BTW, am I the only one watching this battle of the high chefs of Japan?

[buzzbomb]

I've heard of Asian people buying live carp and keeping them in the bathtub for a couple of days to clean them out, but how widespead the practice is I'm not sure.  The recipe thread in Carp Anglers Group has a topic on rough fish preparation which mentions scoring the fillets so the bones are small enough to eat.  Why not leave them whole then take them out completely?   Many things don't make sense to me simply because I don't understand them, but that doesn't mean they don't work.   I'm nearly 50 and I can't see that situation changing in the near future.  This spring, I think there's some 5 pounder out there with my name on it.  I'll still do anything once...twice if it doesn't hurt too bad.

[rgfixit]

Commercial Carp producers "flush" their fish by moving them from clean pond to clean pond in a series of steps thus supposedly reducing the swampy flavors attributed to "Ol Liverlips".

Mine go back in the water they came from.....I don't kiss them goodby either.

RG

[livin4ice]

I watched it too Somers.  I just couldn't figure out why they like it so much.  They even showed how they like the gelitan that is under the skin....YYYYYYYYuuuuck.  Can you imagine how "fishy" that would taste, even if the fish had been flushed first.  They use some of the weirdest ingredients on that show.  I think they are cooking with eel farts next week...LOL         

[buzzbomb]

An MSN search for eel-fart recipes produced 75 webpages...not bad.                    http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/humor/SNL/TheIronChef.htm    dang, I can never get that hyper-link thing right!

[Somers]

I hear ya livin4ice.

I've see them using whale tongue, sea cuccumber, fish egg ice cream, duck feet, all kinds of weird stuff. 

Eel farts,  That's funny.

[hosscletuslulu]

Recipe for Carp

• Clean carp, open flat and peg to a suitably sized pine board.
• Brush generously with butter or oil or alternately drizzle with lemon or lime juice.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, chili pepper or your favorite spice blend (Cajun, Old Bay etc).
• Bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF until flesh browns lightly and begins to flake easily from bones.
thats the same recipe I use


• Once thoroughly baked but not over done, remove from oven and separate from board.
• Set the table and pour a favorite beer or befitting wine.
• Toss the carp to your cat or dog and eat the pine board.

[hosscletuslulu]

thats the best recipe its the one I use

[HIMO]

i don't like using pine boards. oak taste better.

                             HIMO

[JigAwhopper]

The small ponds I go to sometimes are overrun with these critters.  They muddy the water and once they get to a certain size,  nothing will eat them.  Not even me,  since the water is polluted with the runoff from local housing projects. I personally like to take out my canoe,  drift around and plug 'em with my bow around this time of the year,  when they're spawning.  Very relaxing way to spend an  afternoon.  Carp make really good garden fertilizer! .                                         J.

[devil-man]

I think I'd rather eat my boots.

[cnyfishing]

Recipe for Carp

• Clean carp, open flat and peg to a suitably sized pine board.
• Brush generously with butter or oil or alternately drizzle with lemon or lime juice.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, chili pepper or your favorite spice blend (Cajun, Old Bay etc).
• Bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF until flesh browns lightly and begins to flake easily from bones.
thats the same recipe I use


• Once thoroughly baked but not over done, remove from oven and separate from board.
• Set the table and pour a favorite beer or befitting wine.
• Toss the carp to your cat or dog and eat the pine board.

I like hickory boards 

[wigen]

i agree, i fish for carp like any other game fish. im an avid bass and pike fisherman, but enjoy targeting carp, the fight is incredible, the smaller ones fight like bass even had them jump a few times. as far as eating them, never have , but did cook one up for a neighbor who crashed our cookouts, he thought it was very tasty till we told him what it was, so i guess its not too bad. i dont advocate bow fishing for them, but each to their own, and get pretty upset when people catch them and throw them onshore to die. my 7 yr old caught a 26lber two weeks ago and what a pic it was of him holding it, going to be used on the brochure advertising the june 25th carp contest at onondaga lake. all in all i guess treat them with respect

[amazinmoose]

i have some snapping turtles, i think they would love the carp flesh :-D   tightlines, moose

[mrwalleye]

Recipe for Carp

• Clean carp, open flat and peg to a suitably sized pine board.
• Brush generously with butter or oil or alternately drizzle with lemon or lime juice.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, chili pepper or your favorite spice blend (Cajun, Old Bay etc).
• Bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF until flesh browns lightly and begins to flake easily from bones.
• Once thoroughly baked but not over done, remove from oven and separate from board.
• Set the table and pour a favorite beer or befitting wine.
• Toss the carp to your cat or dog and eat the pine board.

LOL